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Trial court closes Kotkapura firing case as proceedings against all accused dropped
A fresh legal process will be initiated after filing new chargesheets; accused not discharged as charges were not framed against them
With the Punjab and Haryana High Court quashing all the chargesheets filed by the special investigation team (SIT) led by former inspector general of police (IGP) Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh in the matter, a trial court in Faridkot on Tuesday disposed of the 2015 Kotkapura firing case and dropped proceedings against all the accused.
Now a fresh legal process would be initiated after filing new chargesheets. The accused were not discharged as charges were not framed against them so far.
Six former and serving police personnel, including former Punjab director general of police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini and suspended IGP Paramraj Singh Umranangal, and former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA Mantar Singh Brar were named as accused in the case.
The defence counsel on Tuesday moved application for dropping the proceedings, citing quashing of the SIT’s chargesheets by the high court. Additional district and sessions judge Harbans Singh Lekhi also discharged the surety bonds submitted by the accused.
“A file has been sent to the ilaqa magistrate to proceed further in the matter in accordance with law,” Lekhi said.
Hearing in Behbal Kalan case adjourned
The court adjourned the hearing in the Behbal Kalan firing case to May 18 after the defence counsel claimed that the accused had also filed a writ petition in the high court seeking quashing of the SIT chargesheets in the episode.
